San Jose, California tornadoes

Checking live National Weather Service warnings for San Jose...

1confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Jose since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: December 8, 1997, F0.

Join the free alerts waiting list
Map

Every tornado path within 10 miles

Tornado paths, 1950 to 2025
Use two fingers to move the map
(E)F0(E)F1(E)F2(E)F3(E)F4(E)F5Unrated

Each path is a straight line from where the tornado started to where it ended, which is all most NOAA records hold. Tap a path for its details.

Recent warnings

Recent warnings near San Jose

Loading warnings...

The record

At a glance

Total1within 10 miles, 1950 to 2025
Per year0.0average since 1950
Peak monthDecember1 of 1
StrongestF0Dec 8, 1997
Deaths0whole paths, see note
Injuries0whole paths, see note

Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond San Jose.

Seasons

When tornadoes hit here

By month

10 Jan: 0Feb: 0Mar: 0Apr: 0May: 0Jun: 0Jul: 0Aug: 0Sep: 0Oct: 0Nov: 0Dec: 1JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

December is the peak month, with 1 of 1 tornadoes.

By time of day

10 12 AM: 0: 0: 03 AM: 0: 0: 06 AM: 0: 0: 09 AM: 0: 0: 012 PM: 0: 0: 03 PM: 0: 1: 06 PM: 0: 0: 09 PM: 0: 0: 012 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 4:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

10 1950: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 01960: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 01970: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 01980: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 01990: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 02000: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 02010: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 02020: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 019501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones.

By rating

EF0
1

Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.

The record

Notable tornadoes

Every tornado

All 1 tornadoes, newest first

Tornadoes, newest first
DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Dec 8, 1997F00.2 mi100 yd00
Nearby

San Jose and its county

San Jose is in Santa Clara County, where NOAA has recorded 6 tornadoes since 1950. A county's record counts every tornado inside its borders, while this page counts every path within 10 miles of the city, so the two overlap without matching.

Nearby cities

Coming soon

Free tornado alerts for San Jose

We are building free email alerts for tornado warnings. Join the waiting list and we will email you once when they are ready. Until then, please rely on the National Weather Service and your phone's emergency alerts.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. City point and population: US Census Bureau, 2024. Each path is a straight line between NOAA's start and end points.